Method of transferring loops from dial needles to cylinder needles



April 1953 P. L. 51'. PIERRE METHOD OF TRANSFERRING LOOPS FROM DIAL NEEDLES TO CYLINDER NEEDLES Filed Nov. 14, 1950 Mas/2'02.- 111L527 Patented Apr. 21, 1953 METHOD OF TRANSFERRING LOOPS FRGIW DLAL NEEDLES TO CYLINDER NEEDLES Paul L. St. Pierre, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 14, 1950, Serial No. 195,650

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a latch closer intended primarily for use with the dial needles of a. circular, independent needle, dial and cylinder hosiery machine capable of knitting a rib top and automatically shifting to a plain knit leg although it is not limited to this use.

The rib top may be knit in the usua1 way on the dial and cylinder needles. During this knitting the opening and closing of the latches of the dial needles is controlled by the loops of yarn upon those needles in the usual way. When the loops upon the dial needles are transferred to cylinder needles between the end of the knitting of the top and the beginning of the knitting of the leg, the dial needles are projected outwardly to an extreme degree so that the loops thereon move far back upon the needle shanks which are thicker there than closer to the needle latches. The result is that the loops may be enlarged somewhat and in consequence, when the dial needles are retracted they may jump over latches which are open and lodge in the hooks of the needles. The latch closer of the invention positively closes the latches of the dial needles, its operation beginning just as the needles reach their extreme projection and being completed after their retraction has begun. In consequence, the loops of the dial needles cannot possibly be caught in the hooks but will be cast off properly and any imperfection in transfer resulting from this accident is wholly eliminated,

In the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically one form of the latch closer of this invention mounted on the carrier ring of a dial and cylinder machine of the type specified above. A part of the dial with a few dial needles in the positions which they occupy adjacent the point of transfer are also shown.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the initial action of the latch closer upon a dial needle;

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the completion of the latch closing operation; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a part of Fig. 1.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the latch closer consists of a holder 5 pivoted as at 2 to a bracket 3 which may be fixed to the top of the carrier ring 4. A latch closing finger 5 is held by holder 1 so that one portion projects towards the dial needles. The free end of this portion is in the form of a blade 6 which is inclined laterally sufiiciently from the vertical that its lower thin edge may pass under a needle latch 1 as shown in Fig. 2 and gradually close that latch as shown in Fig. 3. An adjusting screw 8 is threaded through bracket 5 and is engageable with holder l as shown in Fig. t. By this means the vertical position of blade 6 can be established against the tension of a spring 9 which also lends resilience to blade 6 and thereby prevents damage to the needles in case of misalignment of a needle or the latch closer. Also, the blade may be adjusted laterally by bending portion 5.

As best shown in Fig. 1, blade 6 is so positioned that just before a needle such as [0 reaches its extreme, projected position during the transfer process, the blade will pass under the top of latch l as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As needle l0 continues to move in counter-clockwise direction, blade 6 closes its latch progressively so that when needle 10 reaches the position occupied by needle I l in Fig. 1, which is during the retraction of the dial needles for casting off, blade 6 will have closed the latch completely as shown in Fig. 3. In this way, any possibility of the loop of needle 10 being caught in the hook of that needle and failing to cast off is eliminated and defective transfer resulting from the failure of dial loops to clear the dial hooks is made impossible.

I claim:

A method of transferring loops of yarn from dial needles to cylinder needles of a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which includes the steps of positioning said loops to be transferred on the shanks of the dial needles behind the latches of said dial needles, raising the cylinder needles so as to enter said loops, closing the latches of said dial needles independently of assistance from said loops by means of the radial and rotary motion of said dial needles with respect to a latch closing member in the path of said latches so that said loops will pass over said previously and independently closed latches of said dial needles thereby eifecting said transfer when said dial needles are withdrawn within said dial.

PAUL L. ST. PIERRE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,082,239 Rosenthal Dec. 23, 1913 1,137,561 Williams 1- Apr. 2'7, 1915 1,990,416 Page Feb. 5, 1935 2,399,002 Coile Apr. 23, 1946 2,442,442 Shortland June 1, 1948 

